When Twilight Burns

Thirteen: Wherein Our Heroine Makes a Telling Decision

Victoria left Gwendolyn’s house relieved that her friend was unhurt, but deep in thought.

She’d realized that there could be more than one daytime vampire, as she’d begun to think of the creature. After all, if an undead merely had to drink the special elixir, what was to stop more than one of them from doing it?

Or many of them?

She sat in the hackney, her shoulder slamming against the side every time Barth made a right turn, and her head bobbing every time he urged the horse forward. His vulgar language peppered the air as he navigated them down Fleet Street-a mistake in itself, for the road was clogged with other carriages and conveyances, as well as shoppers, shopkeepers, and street urchins.

But it gave Victoria a bit of time to consider the situation.

From what she knew about the elixir, it could only be made from the stamen of a special plant that bloomed rarely-perhaps once per century, or no more than twice. Since little could be made, more vampires must want it than could have it. That didn’t preclude more than one undead from using it, but the supply couldn’t last forever. And there couldn’t be an entire army of undead drinking it, which gave her some measure of comfort.

Still, both Sara and George could be daytime vampires.

Of course, as Max had suggested, James could be the daytime undead. She hadn’t missed the fact that the incidents had begun to occur the day he arrived at St. Heath’s Row.

Sara and George, as well as James, had been at the Hungreath dinner party, and also at the masquerade ball. And while she’d seen none of them in Regent’s Park when Victoria found the first victim, that didn’t mean they hadn’t been around. She had, after all, spoken with Gwen and Brodebaugh, who could have told them Victoria was in the vicinity.

Or, it could simply be that the daytime vampire was someone she didn’t know or hadn’t noticed. After all, it didn’t have to be someone she’d seen. It could be any minion of Lilith.

And, yes indeed, it could also be Mr. Bemis Goodwin.

Oh, how she wanted it to be him.

Even now, thinking about how his sharp, angry eyes examined her, searching for something that wasn’t there, she felt tension rise. Her fingers itched for a stake, ready to plunge it into his chest. He had made it clear he wanted nothing more than to see her hang.

But why?

Victoria turned the ugly thought over in her mind. It wasn’t easy; the fury tinged her vision, and her mind rebelled at the very thought… but she had to consider it.

Why would a man she didn’t know want to harm her?

Several deep breaths later-ones she’d had to focus on, draw in deeply, hold, and then release-Victoria had pared her scattered, berserker thoughts down.

He either truly thought she was a murderess and wanted to see justice done-in which case, she was innocent and should have nothing to worry about. But that wouldn’t explain his pointed comments about the undead.

A woman like you.

No, he knew something about her. He could be a vampire himself and be drinking the elixir. Obviously a vampire would want her, Illa Gardella, to die. But that didn’t follow-for he’d said he’d been watching her for over a year. Since she nearly killed the man in the Dials. The elixir hadn’t been in existence for that long, and he appeared to have been living a normal life as a Bow Street Runner for longer than that.

She concluded he couldn’t be undead himself.

He could believe she was a vampire herself, and want to destroy her. If Barth and Verbena had known about vampires before Victoria did, before she became a Venator… it was possible that he did too. But… if he knew anything about vampires, he would know that hanging her would do no good. So why focus on getting her to the magistrate?

If that were the case, if he believed she was a vampire, that should be easy to address-after all, then they were fighting on the same side.

Or… this was the most interesting, and worrisome thought: perhaps he wanted revenge. Perhaps he knew someone she’d killed-a vampire she’d staked, who’d once been someone he loved. A wife or a brother, or anyone.

So that would mean he knew that she was a Venator, and knew that the undead had tried many times to destroy her without luck. And he would try another way.

After all, bullets, blades, nooses-they would all work equally well to slay a Venator.

Victoria felt an unpleasant shiver ripple over her shoulders. Whatever the reason, Bemis Goodwin loathed her, and he was essentially an unknown opponent.

These thoughts settled in her mind, leaving Victoria uncomfortable, but not panicked. After all, she knew she was a formidable adversary herself.

But when the hackney dropped her off a block from Aunt Eustacia’s house, and Victoria slipped into the mews that led into the small yard behind the house, she found herself confronted by Bemis Goodwin and four burly men. On seeing them, her first thought was that he clearly knew her strength.

She’d already stepped out of sight of Barth, who’d rattled off in the carriage as soon as her slippers touched the ground. And the thick hedge of the mews, which ran along behind the row of houses, obscured the view from any of the residences-should anyone happen to be watching, which was in itself unlikely.

Any further considerations evaporated as she braced herself, ready for battle. “What do you want?” she asked, aware that her heart was racing.

“Come now, Lady Rockley,” Goodwin said with a supercilious gesture. “It should be no surprise to you that the magistrate awaits your presence. I’m merely here to see that he gets it.”

“For what reason?” She inched to the side, eyeing the thug closest to her as a feeling of urgency began to build, and her heart to pound. He couldn’t be as strong as a vampire. Or a Venator. None of them could be. Confidence surged through her. She was also smaller and could slip through the hedge more easily…

“It will do you no good to run, Lady Rockley. You may be quick and strong, but you cannot outrun this.” He pulled a gun from his pocket.

No, she couldn’t. But the bullet would have to find her first.

Red glazing her vision, she ducked and rushed at the first of the burly men, knocking him into Goodwin. The sharp retort of a pistol shot sounded, and something whistled through the air much too close to her.

Victoria spun and began a mad dash through the hedge-if she made it through, she’d be in sight of the rear windows of the house and there was a chance someone would see her.

Something yanked hard at her cloak, and she flew backward, landing with the jolt of her skull on the ground. Head spinning, heart pounding, veins pumping, she rolled and leaped to her feet. Rage blasted through her, and she kicked out, tearing into the man closest to her. She felt her nails pare the skin from his face and her foot connect with something soft.

Her red-hued world became a cyclone of movement and ferocity in that narrow, dark walkway until suddenly something wafted down over her. It was clingy and heavy and she realized a net had been thrown over her. It wrapped around her legs, restricted her arms, and before she could fight her way out of it, the net tightened and Victoria felt herself falling.

She crashed to the ground, her head slamming onto a rock. Someone shoved her into a spin. She rolled, tangling further in the net, shouting now-hoping that someone-Max, Verbena, Kritanu, someone would hear.

Something dark went over her head, muffling her voice and smothering her gasps for air, and, like a bundle, she was lifted. The heavy cloth tightened over her face, cloistering her nose and mouth, making her struggle for every bit of air. She struggled, bucking and kicking… the red of her vision faded, consciousness ebbed, and she knew no more.

When Victoria became aware again, she found herself sitting in a hard wooden chair. Her hands were bound behind her and she slumped forward. The only things preventing her from tumbling off the chair were her arms bent over the top of it. They ached, and her fingers were cold and numb. Her feet were in a similar condition, tied to the rung of the chair.

She wasn’t alone. She kept her eyes closed and listened. It took her only a moment to realize that she’d awakened in the middle of Goodwin’s meeting with the magistrate. Her hearing, such as it were.

Her mind was fuzzy, and she knew little about the workings of the Bow Street Runners and their responsibility to the magistrate. But she did know that there were few honest magistrates. And fewer honest Runners. Which did not ease her anxiety in the least.

“I find your evidence against Lady Rockley compelling, Mr. Goodwin,” intoned a voice, presumably that of the magistrate.

“The woman is exceedingly strong,” now spoke Goodwin himself. “She will have to be transported in chains, and in secrecy. She has some fairly able friends.”

Victoria’s mouth went dry. Chains? Good God. But surely they would have to bring her to public trial. And by that time, Max, and Sebastian, and Lady Melly-

But did any of them know where she was?

Barth and Oliver would know. They’d still be watching Goodwin. Or they would be able to figure it out.

She lifted her head. Its throbbing was so harsh it had to be audible. “Who brings the charges against me?” she said. Her voice… it was not one she recognized. It was… dark, heavy, rough. A shiver rattled down her arms and she pulled on her bonds as rage shuddered through her. “Someone must charge me.”

She knew at least that much about crime and punishment in London. A victim or family member must press charges for a trial to occur. There were no representatives, or prosecutors, for the general public.

“Ah, she is with us again.” Goodwin’s face came into her view, blurred and clouded with the red haze. His breath smelled of stale ale.

“Who charges me?”

“It is I who bring the charges,” Goodwin replied.

“You?” Victoria blinked rapidly, trying to alleviate the distortion. Her thoughts were scrambled. “Why?”

His face came in front of hers, his long sharp nose shining, eyes dark with loathing. “My brother. You killed my brother.”

“Your brother? Who is your brother?” Victoria demanded. “I’ve killed no one.”

A loud crack sounded, a hammer slamming onto a wooden surface. “Take the prisoner to Newgate. I’ll arrange for the trial to be held tomorrow.” The magistrate’s voice was filled with malice. “The assizes judge is in my debt and will be happy to hurry things along in this case.”

Tomorrow?

Victoria raised her head to protest, but something hard slapped against her cheek. Her head whipped up and back so hard the chair tottered.

“I have no sympathy for murderesses, especially those who mutilate their victims first.” Goodwin’s ale breath was hot on her face as he bent in front of her. His eyes glowed with triumph. “Cutting them up and tearing them to pieces. What did you do with your husband, Lady Rockley?”

Her cheek throbbed, and the room wavered, but she fixed her gaze on him. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Goodwin rose upright, crowing. “The proclamation of innocence-but of course. You’ve used your powers and strength to do whatever you choose… and you’ll pay recompense and hang by your lovely neck, dear lady.”

She would have responded again, but the black hood came down over her face, obstructing her vision. As she breathed, the cloth became more smothering, as if her need for air drew it closer and closer about her face, plastering it to her nose and eyes. Victoria struggled to dislodge the hood, but something tightened about her neck, holding it in place.

She heard the clink of chains. Her arms were loosened from the back of the chair, and she fell forward, dizzy and still bound by her ankles. Crashing onto the ground, she realized the ties at her wrists were no longer as tight. Someone moved next to her; she felt the bump of a leg or knee against the side of her hip, and heard more clinking.

Dragging in a hot, muffled breath, Victoria lurched onto her face and shoulders and, using her legs, raised the sturdy chair, snapped her heels toward the back of her head. The powerful swing whipped the seat onto the man kneeling next to her, and she heard-and felt-it smash into pieces. Chunks of wood splintered, raining down on them. Goodwin groaned as he slumped to the ground, heavy against her.

Still fighting for air, Victoria pulled at the ropes around her wrists and frantically began to jimmy her hands free. Someone shouted, and she heard quick, hard movements in the room. One wrist popped free and she tore at the hood and its tie.

Something smashed into her shoulder blades, and she fell face-first down against something warm and soft- Goodwin, she realized. The other movement must be coming from the magistrate. A heavy weight lunged onto her, and he was shouting for assistance in her ear. One of her arms was captured, yanked up behind her back-but the other one was safely under her, tearing at the tie at her throat until at last it came loose.

With a guttural cry, she yanked the hood off and gulped in fresh, clean air.

And then she was ready to fight.

Able to breathe, and see, she was galvanized by fury. She moved like furious lightning, rolling to the side, striking fast and hard. The magistrate tumbled back under her assault, and Victoria bent to tear the ropes from her ankles. Thus released, the last vestiges of the chair clattered to the floor as she heard the sounds of thundering footsteps.

Scrambling to her feet, she saw Goodwin dragging himself up under the wreckage of the chair, and the man who had to be the magistrate trying to pull to his feet. Next time she would hit them harder.

Victoria dashed toward the dark window, smashing the glass with the chains with which they’d meant to bind her. The ground wasn’t far below, and as she leaped through, a jagged edge of glass sliced the underside of her thigh and she heard the door slam open in her wake.

Landing on the ground in a neat crouch, she sprang to her feet. The fresh night air was like ambrosia, despite the stench of garbage and other waste. The building from which she’d escaped was on a narrow street, and if she’d jumped at the wrong angle she could have slammed into one the nearby walls.

Looking at the night sky, Victoria realized how late it was. She must have been unconscious for hours, and it had taken that long for Goodwin to arrange for the meeting with his crooked magistrate.

She hesitated, warring between the driving desire to go back and destroy Goodwin and his magistrate, and the need to get away. If she left, they would come after her again. She knew it.

A door opened, spilling light into the darkness, and she saw the tall figure of Goodwin outlined. He held a pistol. Two of his henchmen loomed behind him, and they burst out into the night.

Hesitation gone, she turned and dashed away. She couldn’t fight against a bullet. Shouts told her they were following, and she ran pell-mell down the dark street, turning onto another, and then another. She realized belatedly that this was not a pleasant area of town, or one that would boast a magistrate’s office. Her suspicion that the magistrate was just as corrupt as Goodwin, and that they had had to meet in secret, solidified.

Pushing past prostitutes and drunkards, dodging carts and dogs, Victoria slowed her pace when she turned onto a dark street that was curiously empty.

The thick crescent moon shone high and seemed to beam down the center of the narrow street. Her vision still blurred faint red, and rage bubbled through her.

And then Victoria realized that the back of her neck was abnormally cold.

Which could explain why the street was empty.

Pounding footsteps slapped to a halt behind her, and she turned to see Goodwin, and one of his men, half a block away. He raised his arm, and she saw the gleam of metal in the moonlight, pointing at her.

“Stop there, madame.”

The chill on the nape of her neck was colder, and she sensed the arrival of an undead. Or two.

“Who was your brother?” she called back to Goodwin, taking a step away from him. The farther she was from that bullet… The prickles at the back of her neck were growing worse. Where was it? Or they?

“Frederick Goodwin, Baron Truscott.”

Her gazed darted around as she looked for something to use as a stake, but she saw nothing of use. Then she felt, rather than saw, something shift-just out of her vision.

“You don’t remember him? But of course… why should you? He was only one of many that you’ve destroyed.” He took another step toward her, and she backed up slightly. They were separated by perhaps five carriage lengths, but she stood in the center of the street, well lit and unprotected. A bullet in the heart or head would kill her, just as it would any other mortal.

“I remember him.” She did indeed remember Lord Truscott-a Society man she’d danced with more than a year ago, and then only days later had been forced to stake. In that time he’d turned to a vampire and coaxed Miss Emily Colton from a party and into the dark gardens.

Victoria had been receiving Phillip’s proposal when she realized what was happening, and had needed to duck away.

She was not likely to forget Lord Truscott.

“You killed him. After all I’d done to protect him.” The chill sharpened, and Victoria spun just as a shadow turned into the figure of a man in front of her. As she ducked the undead’s attack, ramming into his gut, a gun fired. For the second time that day, a bullet whizzed much too close to her head.

She flipped the vampire over her shoulder and whirled around, still looking for something to use as a stake. The undead crashed to the ground, and she looked up to see Goodwin facing a cluster of vampires. Three of them. That made four total.

Red eyes glowing, the undead in front of her scrambled to his feet and launched himself at Victoria. As she kicked out, catching the vampire in the chin, she saw Goodwin pitch his firearm wildly at the one closest to him.

When the creature near her attacked again, she pummeled him back, allowing all of her red rage to burst free with kicks, punches, elbows, and head butts. The last time she smashed him to the ground, he had enough and scrambled to his feet, running away.

Victoria turned and saw Goodwin pinned to a brick wall by the hand of a vampire. His legs thrashed wildly and anything he might have screamed was reduced to faint gurgles. Two others were closing in on his large companion, who brandished a heavy club.

It wouldn’t be long before he was relieved of the club.

The rest of the street was quiet and empty.

Victoria looked at them through red vision, heart pounding, hatred surging through her. Then turned her back on the scene and walked into the darkness.